This invention relates to a sealing member, an assembly for sealing a hollow member, a method of sealing a hollow member, a method of sealing a multiconductor connector and a sealed multiconductor connector.
Known prior art methods of sealing wires and/or contact pins include the use of grommets or other similar compression seals, and the use of heat shrinkable sealing sleeves. Other prior art methods use articles containing greases. However, greases lack any type of structural network, and this results in the greases generally being viscous and flowing when subjected to temperature cycling, thereby providing a relatively unstable means for protecting the pins and/or wires. Epoxides and other adhesives have also been used, but they are also disadvantageous in that reentry is difficult.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,692 to Uken et al describes a method of using a layer of gel to seal contact pins. The gel is surrounded on its sides, but not on either face by a container for ease of handling and subsequent to being cured is disposed adjacent a terminal block usable for connecting the electrical contact pins with the block, and such that an opposite exposed face of the gel is not covered by the container which allows the electrical contact pins to be inserted there through so as to pierce through the gel and therefore be capable of making contact on the block side of the gel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,870 to Hardy et al provides an improved article of the type disclosed by Uken et al for sealing a multiconductor connector in which the gel container is provided with special securement means to improve the compression on the gel and hence improve the seal. It also discloses an article suitable for sealing to contact pins and/or wires, which uses a layer of gel through which holes for the pins and/or wires are preformed, so that the gel is not deleteriously damaged during insertion of the pins and/or wires, the holes sealing up against the wires trailing from the contact pins when the gel is subjected to compression. In sealing wires in a multiconductor connector in accordance with the teaching of Hardy et al, the contact pins and wires are pierced through the gel and then the gel is compressed. It has been found that if the gel is compressed first and then the contact pins and wires are inserted an adequate seal is not obtained. Further, if one wants to withdraw one or more contact pins, for example for repair, and then reinsert or replace it, the compression on the gel must be released and the gel must then again be compressed to effect a seal around the replaced wire.
It has now been discovered that using a combination of one or more layers of sealant with two or more constraining layers overcomes this disadvantage of prior devices.